Hawthorn racism review

[Blood Fever]

No no, they have to examine it.....I just won't be surprised if it's all true.

Having said that, I also won't be surprised if they find in favour of the coaches.....but that, to me, would seem like a bit of a sham.

I base all my conclusions on my belief that these players have no reason to lie about their experiences. They have shared these experiences at the risk of being examined, judged and by some quarters of our society, scorned. I believe it is simply more truth telling.....and remember, they didn't just come out of the woodwork to smear their old club, they were asked by the club.....questions based on their specific Indigenous experience at the Hawthorn FC.

'Disgruntled former employee' doesn't cut it. If that was the case, they may have spoken up earlier. Three cases (so far), all with similar experiences? IMO, they have no reason to lie.

Fair comment. Not saying this is the case but there have been instances where people make false allegations for financial gain when they asked for reparation. It's important that the accused get a fair go. The whole process was meant to be confidential but reputations have been trashed before those accused have even been given a copy of the report. Trial by media in very dangerous IMO. Either way, it won't end well.

[barry]

or that no one was really interested in watching two teams that have been thereabouts for the last 15yrs. No droughts being broken here.

Yeah, they tried to manufacture a few fairytales about Danger (who most outside Geelong actually refer to as Dangerflog), Sellwood (how many flags does he need) and to a lesser extent Buddy, although the contract extension kind of killed off that.

I dont know how locked in the day grand final is in the new TV rights deal, but if its not, expect channel 7 to demand it. The NRL grand final is going to kill the AFL in ratings this year.
I wouldnt put it past Gill to have let the night grand final in there. However, I think the twilight one is the best, with a longer half time slot for a superbowl type show as its dark by then.

[Nico]

Yeah, they tried to manufacture a few fairytales about Danger (who most outside Geelong actually refer to as Dangerflog), Sellwood (how many flags does he need) and to a lesser extent Buddy, although the contract extension kind of killed off that.

I dont know how locked in the day grand final is in the new TV rights deal, but if its not, expect channel 7 to demand it. The NRL grand final is going to kill the AFL in ratings this year.
I wouldnt put it past Gill to have let the night grand final in there. However, I think the twilight one is the best, with a longer half time slot for a superbowl type show as its dark by then.

While I prefer day footy so I can be home at a reasonable hour I am ok with a twilight game. I was out with my family for dinner on Wednesday and my 8 year old grandson was cooked by 8pm. We need to have a time where everyone can partake and enjoy the game. As has been put by many people on radio, a night GF doesn't allow people time to celebrate a win.

[stevoswan]

Fair comment. Not saying this is the case but there have been instances where people make false allegations for financial gain when they asked for reparation. It's important that the accused get a fair go. The whole process was meant to be confidential but reputations have been trashed before those accused have even been given a copy of the report. Trial by media in very dangerous IMO. Either way, it won't end well.

I certainly get what your saying and I agree the circumstances of how this has unfolded has put the accused at a disadvantage......but it is what it is now so I just hope the review is thorough, sincere and without bias, either way.

I also see it as a perfect opportunity for the league to make a stand on this topic, whether they find the accusations credible or not. I still think they most likely are but they may be hard to prove 'beyond reasonable doubt'.

One good thing to come out of it will be that neither Clarkson or Fagan or any other coach/club for that matter, will ever try anything like this style of 'player management' again.....one would think.

[Blood Fever]

I certainly get what your saying and I agree the circumstances of how this has unfolded has put the accused at a disadvantage......but it is what it is now so I just hope the review is thorough, sincere and without bias, either way.

I also see it as a perfect opportunity for the league to make a stand on this topic, whether they find the accusations credible or not. I still think they most likely are but they may be hard to prove 'beyond reasonable doubt'.

One good thing to come out of it will be that neither Clarkson or Fagan or any other coach/club for that matter, will ever try anything like this style of 'player management' again.....one would think.

Fair enough. Will be interesting to see how it all plays out and how each club now upgrades its handling of their indigenous players.

[Matty10]

I dont know how locked in the day grand final is in the new TV rights deal, but if its not, expect channel 7 to demand it.

I think the reporting around the TV ratings for this year’s AFL Grand Final has been intentionally misleading. The average viewers for the duration of the match were not great, but they actually beat the 2019 figures (the last day GF not affected by the pandemic). The headlines suggesting it was the worst ever are not factual.

I doubt the figures had anything to do with the Hawthorn saga.

[Velour&Ruffles]

How Newbold got into the AFL commission just shows the AFL's 'embracing of indigenous culture' is visual tokenism, with no substance.

- - - Updated - - -

It was also very interesting that the grand final was the worst rating grand final since the AFL was formed. This seems counter intuitive because every time a sydney team is in the grand final, the NSW ratings make up way more than is lost in victoria. Even a similar blow-out, by a lowly GWS rated better. And this is after the best rating final series ever.

So, you can only draw the conclusion that the Hawthorn racial scandal had a big impact on the lay-mans interest in AFL.

Facts are a marvellous thing, and often worth consuming even when opinion smells more tempting. The facts are that the viewership was worse than 2021 and 2020, when most of the country was legally required to sit inside its house and watch the TV, but viewership was (slightly) higher than 2019. Kind of makes sense really.

[Velour&Ruffles]

Clarkson and Fagan were offered 24 hrs + a 6 hr extension to respond to these allegations. They chose not to while knowing this story was going to be published, effectively condemning themselves to trial by media.

To respond to allegations about a report they'd never heard of? That report? Gee, I wonder why they didn't rush in.

In a funny quirk of timing, I'm currently reading Eddie Betts' book. On p 145 he's just mentioned how he and Clarkson became close on the international tour of 2015. Maybe there's a twist later.

[Maltopia]

Allegations about mistreatment of Sam Mitchell by Clarkson now.

Fresh allegations emerge of Alastair Clarkson’s controlling behaviour

If Clarkson was so ruthless with his best player about football over family, how are young fringe players going to speak up?

[stevoswan]

To respond to allegations about a report they'd never heard of? That report? Gee, I wonder why they didn't rush in.

In a funny quirk of timing, I'm currently reading Eddie Betts' book. On p 145 he's just mentioned how he and Clarkson became close on the international tour of 2015. Maybe there's a twist later.

'Never heard of'? For a start, they already knew Hawthorn were doing this review. Plus, they heard about more of it's contents of it as soon as Russell Jackson rang them, maybe not in detail but they knew enough about it to at least respond.

[707]

Don't think there is too much that can be misconstrued from what I've read so it's still a simple case of one of the two groups is lying depending on whether these events occurred. The Newbold email would indicate that they did occur in at least one case.

Full confidence in the AFL to get the true facts and if necessary wear the consequences - hahahahahahahaha, as if! AFL PR Dept working overtime on this

[Bloods05]

And now Kennett is trying to minimise the whole thing. He never changes.